Ring, post and loop puzzle with individual post anchors

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a puzzle of the type having a plurality of posts with rings loosely connected to corresponding ends and an elongated, closed loop threaded through the rings, the object of the puzzle being to remove the loop by an elaborate and lengthy sequence of manipulations of the rings and the loop. In order to increase the difficulty of the puzzle and thereby the challenge it presents, the other corresponding ends of the posts, instead of being typically connected to a common base or otherwise interconnected, are anchored in individual spherical balls which will not pass through the loop or the rings.

United States Patent 1 Winslow 111 3,881,732 May6, 1975 [76] inventor: Louis M. Winslow, Rt. 2, Belle Plaine, lowa 52208 [22] Filed: May 17, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 471,000

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 722,734 1/1932 France 273/158 Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Attorney, Agent, or Firm-l-laven E. Simmons; James C. Nemmers [5 7 ABSTRACT Disclosed is a puzzle of the type having a plurality of posts with rings loosely connected to corresponding ends and an elongated, closed loop threaded through the rings, the object of the punle being to remove the loop by an elaborate and lengthy sequence of manipulations of the rings and the loop. in order to increase the difficulty of the puzzle and thereby the challenge it presents, the other corresponding ends of the posts, instead of being typically connected to a common base or otherwise interconnected, are anchored in individual spherical balls which will not pass through the loop or the rings.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures RING, POST AND LOOP PUZZLE WITH INDIVIDUAL POST ANCHORS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Puzzles of the type with which the present invention is concerned are probably very old. Various examples of them are shown, for instance, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,133,061; 1,589,305; 2,998,253; 3,198,524; and 3,698,719; and in British Pat. No. 18,840 of 1907; French Pat. Nos. 437,330 of 1912, 722,734 of 1932, 749,311 and 754,143 of 1933 and 1,172,588 of 1958; Italian patent 640,807 of 1962; and Swiss patents 18,840 of I907 and 118,993 of I926. Essentially, each of these puzzles comprises a number of individual rings, each of which is articulately loosely connected to one end of a short post, all of the posts in turn being anchored at their other ends in a common base member or otherwise interconnected. An elongated, closed loop straddles the posts and passes through the rings in a uniform manner. To solve the puzzle, that is, to remove the loop, requires a very lengthy series, depending upon the number of rings involved, of precise steps. Likewise, to replace the loop afterwards requires the entire procedure to be repeated but in reverse.

In my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,698,719, the loop is equipped with a removable portion which upon its removal leaves the loop open so that it can readily be withdrawn from the rings and posts and then rethreaded thereon to restore the loop to its starting position. Thus if one becomes hopelessly lost" he can readily restore the puzzle and start over. This makes it feasible to increase the difficulty and challenge of the puzzle without at the same time making it so frustrating that its appeal is impaired or destroyed. This is hence the chief object of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The foregoing object is achieved by eliminating the common rigid base member or other interconnecting means which tie the ends of the posts opposite the rings together as has invariably been the practice in the prior art. Instead, those ends of the posts are rigidly fixed in individual members, preferably in the form of small spheres or balls, which will not pass through the loop or the rings. Accordingly, when and as the loop is removed, the rings, posts and balls form a flexible chain of connected parts which increases the difficulty of the puzzle, both when removing and when restoring the loop, since the necessary relation of the parts required for each step is not so readily apparent. Other similar means of accomplishing the foregoing can be employed, as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an isometric view of one version of a puzzle of the type concerned shown in its starting position, the loop having a removable finger grip in the form of a shaped block at one end with the posts rigidly anchored at their ends opposite the rings in individual balls.

FIG. 2 illustrates the chain-like relation of the rings, posts and balls after removal of the loop.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the illustrated six-ring example (there could, of course, be more or less), the puzzle consists of six individual spheres or balls Bl-6, which may be molded from any suitable plastic, in which are rigidly anchored in any suitable fashion the lower ends of six upright posts Pl 6 formed from wire. The upper ends of the posts PI 6 are formed to provide eyes 10 which loosely encompass a series of six rings RI 6. Through the latter and straddling the posts PI 6 in the manner shown in FIG. I is an elongated loop 12, also formed of wire, having ends [2a which are removably fitted into a molded block or finger grip I4 which closes that end of the loop 12 and provides a means both for manipulating the loop 12 and for removing it quickly and easily from the posts P1 6 and rings Rl-6. Observe that the balls BI-6 are of sufficient diameter so that they cannot pass through the rings Rl-6 or through the loop 12. Of course other members of other shapes could be used instead of balls. Likewise, the lower ends of the posts Pl-6 could be loosely rather than rigidly anchored in the balls.

As noted, the object of the puzzle is to remove the loop from the rings and the posts. In the case of the six ring version shown, no less than steps are required to do so, all in a precise, predetermined pattern. Referring now to FIG. I, which illustrates the puzzle in its starting position, the finger grip 14 is held by the thumb and first finger of the left hand while the rings RI-6 are manipulated up or down with the thumb and first finger of the right hand, the loop 12 being slid left or right as indicated by the arrows in FIG. I. Note that balls Bl-6 are and must remain at all times below the rings Rl-6 and the loop 12 in order to follow the instructions below.

To start, first pull the loop to the left until it stops against the post P1. With the right hand lift rings R1 and R2 up together around the right end of the loop. Slide the loop to the right, and then drop both rings RI and R2 down through the loop. Pull the loop to the left until it stops against the post P3. Lift ring R4 up around the end of the loop, and then drop R4 down through the loop. Push the loop to the right through ring R3 and over ring R2 as far as ring R1. Lift both rings RI and R2 up through the loop by pushing them up with the second and third fingers of the right hand and then pinching them together with the thumb and first finger of the right hand as RI and R2 emerge on top of the loop. Pull the loop to the left until it hits post PI and then carefully drop ring R2 so that it falls around end of the loop. Push the loop to the right through ring R2 to ring RI, dropping ring R1 down through the loop. Pull the loop to the left until it stops against the post P2 and lift ring R3 up around end of the loop. Then drop ring R3 down through the loop and slide the loop right through ring R2 as far as ring RI. Lift ring R] up through the loop and retain it with thumb and first finger of the right hand. Slide the loop to the left to post PI, and then with the second and third fingers of the right hand pick up ring R2 around end of the loop. While holding rings R1 and R2 up together, slide the loop to the right past all the rings and then let rings RI and R2 drop down through the loop. Hereafter the remainder of the instructions will be abbreviated, using: L loop; If left; rt right.

Now continue as follows: L If; R6 up around end of L; R6 down through L; L rt through R5 over R4 and R3; R1 and R2 up through L; L If; R2 down around end of L; L rt; Rl down through L; L If; R3 up through L; R3 down around end of L; L rt through R2; R1 up through L; L if; R2 up around end of L; L rt; R1 and R2 down through L; L If; R4 up through L; R4 down around end of L; L rt through R3; R1 and R2 up through L; L 11'; R2 down around end of L; L rt; R1 down through L; L If; R3 up and around end of L; R3 down through L; L rt through R2; R1 up through L; L lf; R2 up around end of L; L rt; R1 and R2 down through L; L lf: R5 up around end of L; R5 down through L; L rt through R4 over R3; R1 and R2 up through L; L lf; R2 down around end of L; L rt; R1 down through L; L If; R3 up through L; R3 down around end of L; L rt through R2; R1 up through L; L If; R2 up around end of L; L rt; R1 and R2 down through L; L If; R4 up around end of L; R4 down through L; L rt through R3; R1 and R2 up through L; L ll; R2 down around end of L; L rt; R1 down through L; L if; R3 up around end of L; R3 down through L; L rt through R2; R1 up through L; L If; R2 up around end of L; L rt; R1 and R2 down through L. The loop is now free of the rings, posts and balls, whereupon the latter three sets of parts will remain interconnected and as sume the chain-like relationship shown in FIG. 2. To replace the rings, start at the last step and reverse the precedure. Simply substitute down" for up, left" for right," etc. and by backing through the foregoing instructions step-by-step the puzzle will be completely reassembled.

If at any time one loses his place, makes a mistake or becomes hopelessly lost, it is only necessary to pull the grip 14 off the loop 12, pull the loop 12 free of the posts Pl 6 and rings R1 6, rethread the loop 12 as illustrated in FIG. 1, replace the grip 14 and start over. One can also use the same method to restore the puzzle to its starting position after solving it if one does not care to go through the step-by-step replacement procedure.

The invention is also applicable to other versions of the type of puzzle concerned. such as those shown in the foregoing patents, as well as to other shapes thereof. Hence; though the invention has been described in terms of a specific embodiment thereof,

being the best mode now known of carrying it out, it is not limited to that embodiment alone. instead. the following claims are to be read as encompassing all adaptations and modifications of the invention falling within the spirit and scope thereof.

1 claim:

1. In a puzzle of the type described including a number of post-like members having respective first and second corresponding ends and an equal number of ring-like members, the ring-like members being articulately attached adjacent the first corresponding ends of the post like members, and an elongated, closed looplike member in interlocking engagement with respective pairs of the post-like and ring-like members so that the loop-like member can normally be disengaged from the post-like and ring-like members only by a series of prescribed manipulations of all of the members, the improvement comprising: individual members attached to the second corresponding ends of the post-like members, the individual members and the post-like members being otherwise unconnected to each other, each of the individual members having an overall exterior dimension sufficient to prevent its passage through the interiors of the ring-like members and the interior of the loop-like member.

2. The puzzle of claim 1 wherein each of the individual members comprises a generally spherical ball.

3. The puzzle of claim 2 wherein the second corresponding ends of the post-like members are rigidly an chored in their respective balls.

4. The puzzle of claim 3 including means for separating the loop-like member into two portions permitting rapid disengagement of the loop-like member from the post-like and ring-like members independently of said manipulations.

5. The puzzle of claim 4 wherein said means comprises the loop-like member having an open end providing a pair of end portions, and a shaped finger grip member removably fitted to the end portions and closing the loop-like member. 

1. In a puzzle of the type described including a number of postlike members having respective first and second corresponding ends and an equal number of ring-like members, the ring-like members being articulately attached adjacent the first corresponding ends of the post-like members, and an elongated, closed loop-like member in interlocking engagement with respective pairs of the post-like and ring-like members so that the loop-like member can normally be disengaged from the postlike and ring-like members only by a series of prescribed manipulations of all of the members, the improvement comprising: individual members attached to the second corresponding ends of the post-like members, the individual members and the post-like members being otherwise unconnected to each other, each of the individual members having an overall exterior dimension sufficient to prevent its passage through the interiors of the ring-like members and the interior of the loop-like member.
 2. The puzzle of claim 1 wherein each of the individual members comprises a generally spherical ball.
 3. The puzzle of claim 2 wherein the second corresponding ends of the post-like members are rigidly anchored in their respective balls.
 4. The puzzle of claim 3 including means for separating the loop-like member into two portions permitting rapid disengagement of the loop-like member from the post-like and ring-like members independently of said manipulations.
 5. The puzzle of claim 4 wherein said means comprises the loop-like member having an open end providing a pair of end portions, and a shaped finger grip member removably fitted to the end portions and closing the loop-like member. 